January 24, 2008 -- Belden has introduced its BWRE-100 Power over Ethernet (PoE) Range Extender for use in wireless LANs (WLANs). According to the company, designed for in-line installation and seamless integration, the device significantly increases transmission distance, while offering users cost-effective design, optimal mobility, and ease of implementation.
When used with the Belden Wireless Solution, the PoE Range Extender injects a re-energized signal between the wireless switch and the access point (AP), using bi-directional input and output ports on the extender. This enables users to install the APs at a distance of up to 200 meters from the wireless switch using Belden Category 5e, Cat 6 or 10G cable - effectively doubling the range of PoE transmissions from the baseline of 100 meters.
The product can also be used as a standalone PoE device to extend the transmission distance from a system's PoE injector or power supply to a standard PoE device without the use of an external power feed.
The PoE Range Extender complements the Belden Wireless Solution, which is built on a unique Channel Blanket topology. The company maintains that the platform offers ubiquitous signal strength and bandwidth, and seamless mobility with no roaming latency and no co-channel interference. The centralized 8-,12-, or 24-port Belden switch makes all traffic decisions in the WLAN, so Belden APs require no "smart" set-up or configuration.
The Belden PoE Range Extender meets the IEEE 802.3x full/half duplex Ethernet standard. The product is available now, with installation options including horizontal shelf or vertical wall mount.